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Crisp, sweet, gingery, and festive, Frosted Gingersnaps! These cookies are made with salted butter, brown sugar, dark molasses, vanilla, and all the classic cozy spices. Each dough ball is rolled in cinnamon sugar, baked, then lightly frosted with a sweet vanilla frosting. Simple, adorable, and so, so yummy!
It’s officially Christmas cookie season! I wait all year for this moment—getting excited way too early and planning my holiday cookie box months in advance. Truly my favorite tradition.
And this year? It feels like we all need a little extra Christmas cheer, so I’m embracing the season with open arms. Are you ready for all the holiday cookies coming your way?
When I make my cookie box, I carefully plot out a mix of new and old favorites. So when my cousin mentioned her love of a classic holiday gingersnap, I knew instantly: this cookie needed to happen.
Growing up, my Nonnie always bought the Trader Joe’s gingersnaps for my grandpa during the holidays. I have such sweet memories of sitting by their fireplace, stockings hung, watching him snap and dunk each cookie into milk. He called them “dunkers.”
It’s a memory that brings me right back, and I wish he were here so I could share a box with him. Maybe this year he’ll get his very own gingersnap-filled cookie box!
These cookies are crisp, gingery, and just the right amount of spiced—never too crunchy. The cinnamon sugar coating adds the perfect sweetness, and the vanilla frosting with a sprinkle of flaky salt gives them a magical, snowy touch.
These are the details
Ingredients
- salted butter
- brown sugar
- molasses
- vanilla
- flour
- ginger
- cinnamon
- baking soda
- sea salt
- sugar
Ingredients for the frosting
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- maple
- milk
- vanilla salt
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need a couple of mixing bowls you love to bake with, a baking sheet, and an electric mixer to mix the batter.
Steps
Step 1: Make the dough
Beat the butter with the brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla until creamy. Add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. The dough comes together quickly.
Step 2: Mix the cinnamon sugar
Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
Step 3: Roll the cookies
Roll the dough into balls, then coat each one in the cinnamon sugar. Place on a baking sheet and bake—no chilling required!
Step 4: Make the frosting
Whisk together the frosting ingredients until smooth and drizzly, adding a splash more milk if needed to thin.
Step 5: Dip the cookies
Dip or dunk each cookie into the frosting, then sprinkle with vanilla sea salt or flaky sea salt. Allow the frosting to set for about an hour.
Enjoying each cookie
Snap them in half, dunk them in milk or coffee, and enjoy them warm from the oven. Or box them up and add them to your holiday cookie boxes!
Looking for more sweet Christmas recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies
Chewy Frosted Cinnamon Swirl Snickerdoodles
Easy Slice ‘n’ Bake Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Chewy Brown Butter Pretzel Pecan Cookies
Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Lastly, if you make these Frosted Gingersnaps, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Frosted Gingersnaps
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 283 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Vanilla Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- vanilla salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.2. In a bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the flour, ginger, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, beating until combined. 3. In a shallow bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and the sugar. 4. Roll the dough into tablespoon-size balls, then roll them through the cinnamon sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are just set. Let cool on the pan.5. To make the frosting. Mix all ingredients, add milk as needed to thin. Dip the cookies into the glaze and sprinkle with salt. Let dry 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
This post was originally published on November 28, 2025
These cookies were the hit of our Christmas. More than one person said they were the best cookies they’d ever had. Soft and chewy with the delicious spice of ginger and molasses. Making them again today for a get together tonight.
Hey Nancy,
Happy Sunday! Big thanks for making this recipe and your comment, I love that it turned out well for you!
Everyone loves these cookies and begs for more.
Hey Jeanette,
Awesome! Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it was a hit!
Happy New Year!🥂🎆
The recipe calls for 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Do I add this at the same time as the brown sugar?
Hi Kayla,
Nope, you are going to mix that with the cinnamon in step 3. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
These are my favorite of all of your cookies!! So easy to make and so yummy! I didn’t get a chance to frost them because they were all gone by the time I made the frosting!
Next time I’m making a double batch!
Hey Julianna,
Perfect! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it! Happy Holidays!🎁🎄
These didn’t come out with a cookie-like consistency. Taste-wise I tried half with regular molasses and half with the one in your pictures/videos. Neither were very good. I probably need to keep searching for a good gingersnap recipe. My caution to those making the frosting— definitely does not need salt.
Hi Katherine,
Thanks for trying these cookies and your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Curious how wet the dough should be. I definitely will be placing in the refrigerator for a few hours, but my dough is very hydrated. Don’t want to add more flour to make it cake-wise.
Hi Karin,
You should be able to easily roll the dough into dough balls. I hope this helps!
Hi Teighan! I made these cookies this past Christmas and they were my husband’s favorite cookie! They turned out fluffy, but we actually love them that way. I don’t have much experience with cookies yet so I suppose that’s why I wasn’t surprised that there wasn’t a “snap” to these gingersnaps, haha. I did see your suggestion to chill them to ensure that they turn out crisp, so I will try that. Thank you for making so many tasty recipes, I really enjoy what you do!
Thanks so much, Lilly!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! they baked up perfectly with chilling the dough. It made 30 cookies.
Hey Kay,
Awesome! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and your feedback!
hi. Mine tasted fine but were puffy as opposed to thin and crispy? Whipped per instructions and made long with like 10 other cookies, so I know my way around the kitchen. Used Grandma’s molasses and they were lighter too. Any ides why so fluffy? Thanks for any feedback!
Hi Jen,
Thanks so much for giving these cookies a try! Sorry to hear they were puffy. Next time, I would chill your dough balls before baking and then tap your baking sheet on the counter for a flatter cookie.
I hope this helps! Happy Holidays!
Great flavor! I didn’t frost them. They were tasty without frosting. I gave them a 4 because I was looking for a crisp cookie, and these were not crisp. Any ideas how to get them crisp?
Hey Julie,
Thanks so much for making these cookies, so glad they were enjoyed! Did you allow them to fully set before enjoying, the longer the cool the more of a crisp you should get.
Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
Hi! I’m wondering if the vanilla salt is essential for the icing?
Hi Kerry,
You can skip the vanilla salt if you like:)
I hope you love these cookies! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Mine bled together all flat sheet. What do you think I did wrong?
Hi Ginger,
Oh no, so sorry to hear this! My guess is your dough was too warm and might have needed to be chilled in the fridge before baking.
Let me know if you try them again!
Waayyyyy better 2nd time. Aces!! Not sure what disaster ensued the first time.
Yay!! So glad to hear this! Thanks for trying again, Ginger:)
Hi – do these freeze well?
Hi Lisa,
Yes, I would recommend to freeze without the icing and then add that once thawed.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays!
Should there be eggs?
Hi Elizabeth,
Nope, no eggs needed for this recipe:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Omg these are amazing! Made my first batch for a Christmas cookie exchange and they are my new favorites!
Hey Leah,
Love to hear this! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment!
Have a great Sunday!
I made these cookies tonight, for the first time ever. I can not say enough how fabulous this recipe is. The cookies turned out exactly like the picture. This recipe will be on repeat for years to come as a holiday cookie that I will be making!!!!
Thanks so much, Claire:) I am so glad to hear these cookies turned out well for you, I appreciate you making them!
These cookies are fantastic! Never have had a recipe you published disappoint though, so I’m not surprised. Next time I’ll double this one! Such a delicious gingery bite, they make you wanna go back for more.
For those wishing for a whiter look on the icing, I sparingly dropped in Watkins food coloring (blue) and it seemed to take out the brownish tint.
Hey Karen,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad it was enjoyed:)
Happy Holidays!
SO GOOD, best gingerbread cookie recipe I’ve found. Chilled dough for several hours so dough was firm to roll into balls. Slightly crispy on outside and soft inside. Will drizzle some icing tomorrow.
Hi Sue,
Thanks so much! Love to hear you enjoyed these cookies:) Merry Christmas!🎄🎁
I made these frosted gingersnap cookies tonight while decorating the Christmas tree with my adult children, and they were a huge hit! The cookies came out perfectly spiced, and the just the right touch of snap. We all kept going back for “just one more.” Another fantastic recipe from Tieghan Gerard—you truly never miss. These are definitely becoming part of our holiday tradition!
Hey Christy,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad it was enjoyed:)
Thanks for your kind message! Happy Holidays!